Arsenal set to axe FOUR top youngsters at end of season and Folarin Balogun future up in air as teen rejects new deal

ARSENAL will reportedly allow four of their Under-23 stars to leave the club in the summer.

According to Football London, Ben Sheaf, Arthur Okonkwo, Joseph Olowu and Kido Taylor-Hart’s respective stints with the north London club will come to an end at the end of the season.

Ben Sheaf is expected to permanently join Coventry City in the summerArthur Okonkwo is set to leave Arsenal following the expiration of his contract

Sheaf’s time with the Gunners will draw to a close as his loan club Coventry City have an obligation to permanently acquire his services.

Last September, Coventry chief Mark Robbins said: “If certain criteria are met it’s an obligation to buy.

“So it’s not an option to buy, more an obligation and I think he’s an outstanding young talent and we’re in a position to sign him at the end of this season.”

Okonkwo and Olowu, meanwhile, are both set to become free agents at the end of the campaign.

And it’s claimed the Arsenal brass will not offer the duo, 19 and 21 respectively, new deals following the expiration of their current contracts.

Taylor-Hart is also said to be on course to leave the club as he’s yet to have been offered a professional deal.

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Recent reports, however, have claimed the Gunners have indeed offered the 18-year-old winger a contract.

Arsenal’s reported willingness to allow the quartet to leave comes amid the ongoing uncertainty over Folarin Balogun’s future at the club.

The 19-year-old striker is out of contract in the summer and has rejected the offer of a new deal.

It’s understood the youngster has caught the eye of several clubs in England, with reports claiming a number of foreign sides are interested in signing him too.

Joseph Olowu will also reportedly leave the club following the expiration of his contract

Folarin Balogun has yet to sign a new deal with the Gunners

Gunners chief Mikel Arteta is eager to tie Balogun down to a new deal and is confident he will be an Arsenal player come the start of next season.

On Thursday, the Spaniard said: “I am pretty positive about it.

“Every time I spoke to him he mentioned the same thing that he’s determined to stay here that he wants to stay here.

“We had some really positive conversations with his agent as well.”

Arsenal will be back in action this afternoon, travelling to Turf Moor to take on Burnley.